How Nike uses purpose to engage its target audience

Sport engages and moves us in so many ways, not just physically, but also emotionally. Take a look at football for instance . Some of the most powerful brands in the world are football (soccer) clubs. There are probably more people in the world who can tell you the colour of the jerseys of Manchester United than to pin the city Manchester to the map. With loyal followers and fans globally, they have great powers to engage people. When lads in a local pub talk about how “we” had a good game last night, and performed well, they are not referring to their own actions and achievements. Those guys haven’t even smelled the turf or been near the ball. They might have broken a sweat and had the same heart rate as the actual players though. Few things stir up more engagement than important games to die-hard fans.

Just like sport itself can spark great engagement, so can brands. Nike needs no introduction, the brand is one of the major players in the field of athletics and sport. I have been following the brand for quite some time, mostly because of its clean and nice design, but also because of the way their campaigns and communication speak to my inner athlete. Lately though, another louder message has come through clearer, a message of a higher purpose than just cool sneakers:

 “We’re committed to creating a better, more sustainable future for our people, planet and communities through the power of sport.”

- Nike

At Mission we are not only concerned with the mission and the vision of brands, but also of what's at the core of it: the brand´s purpose . I was therefore happy to see that Nike recently publicly announced its purpose. They have even developed a dedicated purpose platform. 

It's quite unusual for brands to talk about their purpose, maybe because clear and loud statements need to be followed by commitment and actions. Nike, however, has never been shy of being bold and clear.

Dream Crazy

The five areas of focus where this purpose statement comes into action are: Equality, Community, Manufacturing, Environment and Product. Out of these five, the two first are the areas that for me has stood out quite clearly compared to what the competitors do: equality and community.

Colin Kaepernick is the star of the Emmy-nominated Nike commercial.

With the Dream Crazy campaign , now nominated for an Emmy , was fronted by Colin Kaepernick . Nike stepped up their game and lifted their brand to a higher level above shoes and apparel and took a stand on social issues. Kaepernick, a Nike athlete who silently protested against oppression and police brutality against black people by kneeling during the national anthem before every game, got a lot of attention in the media. So much that President Trump got involved in his own usual way on Twitter. The campaign spread like wildfire, Nike should thank Trump. Thanks to his comments it became global news, and Nike was mentioned 3.4 million times on Twitter the first 21 hours after the campaign was launched. Not all feedback was good, however, some was rather malicious. Images of people burning their Nike gear in anger became a symbol of the risk Nike was running when they threw themselves into a loaded social-political arena. But it was the right thing to do. And doing good has been part of Nike's 11 Maxims for years. Due to the high stakes involved, it is rare to see a big corporate brand taking such a firm stand on an issue, and it warms my heart. Nike risked their brand reputation and money, whilst Kaepernick risked and lost his career as a professional football player.

“Purpose is the core of everything a company does, and it has to be true.”

Purpose is the core of everything a company does, and it has to be true. That is probably one of the most important “rules” for businesses. When it comes to Nike, they have shown their statement to be true in words and actions on many occasions. The drive to move the world forward through the power of sport has been there all along, just maybe not stated so clearly until now. Although the Dream Crazy campaign became a catalyst for athletes to speak up on issues they are passionate about, this was nothing new for the company. Nike has a long history of challenging the status quo, fighting old norms or inequalities through supporting athletes that stand out not only in their playing fields, but by daring to be different. Examples such as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Ibtihaj Muhammad and Serena Williams to mention a few. It is not the easy way, but it is the right way, well rooted in the core of the brand: Nike's purpose.

A tribute to female athletes.

Part two of the Dream Crazy campaign focuses on all the amazing strong female athletes out there, fighting for their equal rights to play and perform in the same arenas, putting their critics and skeptics to shame. The film is equally beautifully made, timeless and it is impossible not to be moved by it.

Purpose means business

Being a brand that supports and fights for social issues such as the environment or equal rights is of course also part of a business strategy. Just like it makes sense for the planet to cut waste, recycle waste and reduce the environmental footprint, it also makes sense for businesses. Green thinking saves money and ensures you have a playing field for future generations. And Nike is in business to make money, just like everybody else. It is no secret that a large part of generation Z has a strong desire to support ‘woke’ businesses, and having a clear purpose speaks directly to them – a group that is a very important target audience for Nike. Manifesting a loyalty here is naturally an important task and part of the strategy.

Coming back to the strong engagement people get from sport, it gives room to actually make a difference. You already have the attention of an audience, you just have to orchestrate it well and lead by example. As Churchill said: "With great powers comes great responsibilities." I am happy to see that a large corporation is using their marketing muscles to do good and make a difference where they have room to make an impact. Like any top athlete that want to make it to the top, Nike has always had high goals, they've been bold and unapologetic, they've taken risks and spoken out against injustice.

With the Dream Crazy campaign Nike fuels hopes and inspiration for millions. By taking a stand they're telling us that it's worthwhile to stand up for what you believe in, to not give up – and instead Dream Crazy and Just do it.